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Igor Kshnyakin

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Azerbaijani pilot (1962–2024)

Igor Kshnyakin
Born(1962-05-19)19 May 1962
Baku, Azerbaijan SSR, USSR
Died25 December 2024(2024-12-25) (aged 62)
Aktau, Kazakhstan
Resting placeII Alley of Honor, Baku, Azerbaijan
OccupationPilot

Igor Ivanovich Kshnyakin (19 May 1962 – 25 December 2024) was an Azerbaijani commercial airline captain who was recognized as a National Hero of Azerbaijan.

Kshnyakin is notable for his heroic efforts to save passengers' lives during the crash of Azerbaijan Airlines Flight 8243 in 2024, during which he died.

Life and career

Igor Kshnyakin was born on 19 May 1962, in Baku, Azerbaijan SSR, USSR. In 1982, he received his initial pilot training at the Sasovo Civil Aviation Flight School [ru], specializing as a pilot. In 1992, he graduated from the Russian State Hydrometeorological University with a degree in Meteorology.

Kshnyakin began his aviation career in 1982 as a second pilot of an An-2 aircraft with the Yevlakh United Aviation Detachment. On 6 January 1984, he joined the Zabrat United Aviation Detachment as a second pilot of an An-2 aircraft. By 1990, he was serving as a second pilot of a Yak-40 aircraft under the Azerbaijan Civil Aviation Administration.

In 1994, he was promoted to captain of a Yak-40 aircraft, and in 1997, he became captain of the Yak-40 for Azerbaijan's national aviation company, Azerbaijan Airlines. In 1998, he transitioned to a second pilot position for the Tu-134 aircraft. By 2005, he was captain of an An-140 aircraft, and in 2008, he was elevated to captain of the ATR-42/72 aircraft. From 3 June 2013, after successfully completing training for Embraer 170/190 aircraft, he was appointed a trainee pilot for the Embraer-170/190. On 11 December 2013, Kshnyakin became a captain of the Embraer-170/190 aircraft within the Flight Services Department of Azerbaijan Airlines. Kshnyakin was a highly experienced airline captain with a career spanning decades at Azerbaijan Airlines. He logged 15,000 flight hours, including 11,200 hours as captain. According to Azerbaijan Airlines, he had extensive expertise with modern aviation technologies.

Kshnyakin had two daughters.

Death

Main article: Azerbaijan Airlines Flight 8243
The farewell ceremony for the deceased crew members of Flight 8243, Heydar Aliyev International Airport (Kshnyakin's coffin is centre)

On 25 December 2024, Azerbaijan Airlines Flight 8243, an Embraer 190 aircraft, was struck by a Russian Pantsir-S1 missile system. Despite the failure of the control systems, Kshnyakin and co-pilot Aleksandr Kalyaninov steered the aircraft, over the Caspian Sea, towards an area near Aktau International Airport. During the emergency landing near Aktau, Kazakhstan, the plane crashed.

The aircraft carried 67 people: 62 passengers and 5 crew members. Twenty-nine individuals survived the crash. Kshnyakin died in the crash. His heroism was widely honored in Azerbaijan and Kazakhstan, and in international aviation circles. He and his team were described as having "entered history as heroes." Kshnyakin was buried on 29 December 2024, at the II Alley of Honor.

Awards

On 29 December 2024, by the decree of the President of the Republic of Azerbaijan, Igor Ivanovich Kshnyakin was posthumously awarded the title of "National Hero of Azerbaijan".

See also

References

  1. "Təyyarə qəzasında həlak olan ekipaj üzvlərinə Azərbaycanın Milli Qəhrəmanı adı verilib". Report İnformasiya Agentliyi (in Azerbaijani). Report.az. 29 December 2024.
  2. "Təyyarə qəzasında həyatını itirən kapitan pilot İqor Kşnyakinin xatirəsi yad edilir". Baku.tv. 27 December 2024.
  3. "Pilotun qohumu: Kşnyakin İqorun xatirəsi ailəsinin və dostlarının qəlbində daim yaşayacaq". 27 December 2024.
  4. "Milli Qəhrəman İqor Kşnyakin kimdir? - DOSYE". Pravda.az. Retrieved 29 December 2024.
  5. "Qəzaya uğrayan təyyarə son yoxlamadan nə vaxt keçmişdi? - RƏSMİ AÇIQLAMA". Oxu.az (in Azerbaijani). Retrieved 29 December 2024.
  6. "İqor Kşnyakin kimdir? – Özünü sərnişinlərə fəda edən QƏHRƏMAN". Lent.az (in Azerbaijani). Retrieved 29 December 2024.
  7. "Qəhrəman pilotun hər iki qızı milli komandamızın üzvüdür". Oxu.az (in Azerbaijani). Retrieved 29 December 2024.
  8. Bagirova, Naila (26 December 2024). "Russian air-defense system downed Azerbaijan plane, sources say". Reuters.com.
  9. Fouda, Malek (25 December 2024). "Russian air defence missile incident emerges as likely cause of Azerbaijan Airlines crash". www.euronews.com. Retrieved 29 December 2024.
  10. Barabas, Peter. "As more details over Azerbaijan Airlines crash emerge, pilots and crew are hailed as heroes". www.euronews.com. Retrieved 29 December 2024.
  11. "Crew members who died in plane crash buried in 2nd Alley of Honor". Report News Agency. 29 December 2024. Retrieved 29 December 2024.
  12. ""Azərbaycan Hava Yolları" Qapalı Səhmdar Cəmiyyətinə məxsus "Embraer 190" tipli sərnişin təyyarəsi Bakı–Qroznı (Rusiya Federasiyası) reysini yerinə yetirərkən baş vermiş qəza zamanı yüksək peşəkarlıq və şücaət göstərmiş şəxslərin təltif edilməsi haqqında Azərbaycan Respublikası Prezidentinin Sərəncamı" [Decree of the President of the Republic of Azerbaijan on awarding persons who demonstrated high professionalism and bravery during the accident that occurred when the Embraer 190 passenger aircraft belonging to Azerbaijan Airlines CJSC was performing the Baku-Grozny (Russian Federation) flight] (in Azerbaijani). 29 December 2024. Archived from the original on 29 December 2024. Retrieved 29 December 2024.
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